阅读理解。
Question: My ninth-grade art teacher doesn't give any grade above 94% because, she says, "There's
always room for improvement." In previous years, I earned a 99% and a 100%. The 94% I received this
term does not reflect the hard work that I put into this course. Because of her "improvement" theory, I
got a lower grade than I deserve Is her grading philosophy morally correct?
Answer: Your teacher's grading system may be unwise, but it is not morally wrong. A teacher deserves
wide latitude in selecting the method of grading that best promotes learning in her classroom; that is, after
all, the prime function of grades. It is she who has the training and experience to make this decision.
You can criticize her methodology. A 100 need not imply that there is no possibility of improvement,
only that a student successfully completed the course work A ninth grader could get a well-earned 100 in
English class but still has a way to go before he writes as well as Jane Austen. What's more, grades are not
only an educational device but are also part of a screening system to help assign (分配) kids to their next
class or program. By capping her grades at 94 while most other teachers grade on a scale that tops out at
100, your teacher could risk making a student lose a chance of getting a scholarship or getting into a top
college.
What it is wrong to condemn her for is overlooking your hard work. Your hard work is worthy of
encouragement, but effort does not equal accomplishment. If scholars suddenly discovered that Rembrandt
had dashed off The Night Watch in an afternoon, it would still be The Night Watch.
I could spend months sweating over my own "paintings", but I'd produce something you wouldn't want
to hang in your living room or your garage.
One feature of a good grading system is that those measured by it generally regard it as fair and reasonable-
not the case here. Strong feeling of anger is seldom an aid to education And so your next step should be to
discuss your concerns with your teacher or the principal.
1. When writing the question, the ninth-grader was _____.
A. annoyed
B. worried
C. excited
D. delighted
2. The underlined word "latitude" in Paragraph 2 probably means _____.
A. difference
B. knowledge
C. freedom
D. experience
3. Rembrandt's painting is mentioned to show that _____.
A. there's difference between effort and achievement
B. The Night Watch was completed in half a day
C. everybody's hard work should be encouraged
D. one is to blame for doing the work in a hurry
4. What is the author's attitude towards the grading system of the ninth-grader's teacher?
A. Supportive.
B. Confused.
C. Unconcerned.
D. Unfavorable.
